You have to roll with the punches in an industry where La Nina and El Nino call the shots, but it's all part of what's piqued the excitement at De Salis Wines.
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Wrapping up harvest about a fortnight ago, 34-year-old head winemaker Mitch Svenson said grape picking is officially done and dusted for the 2023 vintage.
Looking literally and figurately down the barrel at the year ahead, his folks' vineyard has "impressed" the whole De Salis crew.
![De Salis Wines' head winemaker, Mitchen Svenson is feeling excited for the 2023 wine season. Picture by Jude Keogh. De Salis Wines' head winemaker, Mitchen Svenson is feeling excited for the 2023 wine season. Picture by Jude Keogh.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156153420/a1554ebc-f30c-493d-ac42-8a1916dfc05a.JPG/r0_0_8256_5504_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Being something that changes every year that's so dependant and reactive on weather, you do need need to be quite creative with how you interpret the fruit you're getting in and the best thing to do with it, what product you'll get from it," Mr Svenson said.
"Which is a big part of how my parents have always looked at wine and their philosophy, where it's not going to be super consistent and you're challenging yourself in that respect.
"So while we're a bit lower in volume with less chardonnay that we were hoping for this year, we've still made quite a bit of wine and we've got more pinots than we ever have before. It's really impressed us."
With lot of other vineyards in the same boat as De Salis this year, erratic weather and hailstorms early on in the growing piece, shook the growing season up.
But the perks of not knowing taps into a spontaneous fuel for this head winemaker - it keeps lovers of imagination forging ahead.
![Head winemaker for his family's vineyard, De Salis Wines, Mitch Svenson and the crew were delightfully surprised at the harvest the cooler climate brought in. Picture by Jude Keogh. Head winemaker for his family's vineyard, De Salis Wines, Mitch Svenson and the crew were delightfully surprised at the harvest the cooler climate brought in. Picture by Jude Keogh.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156153420/05aacef2-a446-4e09-992d-c0e9c8bc91ad.JPG/r0_0_8256_5504_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"It could be a little different being where we are, we're a cooler climate [in Nashdale], but our surprise with how rich the colours were was pretty big, especially in some of our reds," Mr Svenson said.
"Our pinots are looking really good and even though it's still early days, we're extremely happy with the results so far.
"Things are shaping up great and it's a job that changes every day, but I guess that's always suited me and my creativity pretty perfectly."
The now-head winemaker since 2021 was on the fine dining scene in Sydney before joining the family business full-time back in 2015.
![Mitch Svenson of De Salis Wines gets to 'scratch the creative itch' in a constantly changing industry where imagination is key. Picture by Jude Keogh. Mitch Svenson of De Salis Wines gets to 'scratch the creative itch' in a constantly changing industry where imagination is key. Picture by Jude Keogh.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156153420/944b1726-ae8d-4541-98dd-c75edcc561f1.JPG/r0_0_8256_5504_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Working evenings in the restaurant space and studying for his degree in ceramics during day hours, winding up in Orange with his parents is something he doesn't regret.
"I fell into it a little bit more than intentionally following in their footsteps, but from 2012 I was travelling back and forth as it got a bit busier," he said.
"[Winemaking] really scratches that creative itch I have though, and my partner was starting a fashion label so it just made sense for us after being in Sydney in our mid-to-late 20s and going 'what are we doing here?'.
Our pinots are looking really good [and] we're extremely happy with the results so far. Things are shaping up great.
- De Salis Wines' head winemaker, Mitch Svenson on 2023 vintage.
"The local community was a real drawcard for me, and we've got a little boy now, as well."
Moving to Orange in 2015, Mr Svenson said it's been "really lovely" being part of a booming industry in the Central West.
One that's attracting more and more young people, he doesn't want to be anywhere else.
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"It's a very, very tightknit community and for the last five to almost 10 years that I've been here, there's this new generation of winemakers coming through the ranks.
"Having these younger, proactive people in the region has been great to see and we all get along really well.
"It's a great industry overall, especially in terms of diversity and that close community feeling."
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